Entrepreneurship

The University of Waterloo once again ranks in the first spot amongst its Canadian peers for producing the most successful entrepreneurs with undergraduate degrees according to the 2022 PitchBook university rankings. Waterloo also moves up one spot from last year to 21st in the world for founders.

The company well-known by university students and professionals for its unique approach to networking and mentorship is breaking new ground.

10KC, also known as Ten Thousand Coffees, is a mainstay for organizations and universities throughout Canada, matching employees and students with networking opportunities that suit their career goals. 10KC’s products have benefited a generation of young professionals as they enter the workforce and look to connect with prospective mentors.

Dominic Barton, the University of Waterloo's 11th chancellor, has committed $1 million to support the next generation of talent at Waterloo.

Barton is a well-known leader in global business and a philanthropist, as well as a key supporter of the University.

“Dominic has created valuable opportunities for our researchers and students during his tenure as chancellor,” says Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor. “I’m deeply grateful for his ongoing support, and I’m delighted that he has built on his leadership with this meaningful gift.”

One of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have is bringing technology to market. Up Start is the opportunity for the University of Waterloo community to step out and build a technology company.

Built by Velocity and the Waterloo Commercialization Office (WatCo), student researchers, founders and recent alumni will be funded and have access to resources from both Velocity and WatCo.

When Pira Ravikumaran arrived at Hack the North on Friday night, he admits he felt a little nervous.

As a fourth-year Chemical Engineering student at Waterloo, he was new to coding and wasn’t sure if his lack of experience would be a problem. The 36-hour turbocharged (and highly caffeinated) event brings together over a thousand students, experts and sponsors from around the world to Waterloo’s campus each year to code, compete, learn and network.

How would Ravikumaran keep up at Canada’s largest hackathon?

“It’s a life-changing experience!” says Orianna Min (BASc ’23). Her enthusiasm over the University of Waterloo’s Enterprise Co-op Program (E Co-op) is infectious.

A startup company founded by a Waterloo Engineering professor and two of his graduate students has won US $250,000 to expand and commercialize green technology for the packaging industry.

Nfinite Nanotechnology was launched on Earth Day in 2021 by Kevin Musselman, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, and Chee Hau Teoh (MASc ’20) and Jhi Yong Loke (MASc ’21), who earned master’s degrees while developing the technology in his lab.

A project inspired by a co-op work term on a construction crew has put a Waterloo Engineering student in the running for an international invention prize.

Adrian Simone, who is in his fourth year of the civil engineering program, was announced today as a national runner-up in the 2022 James Dyson Award competition for a proposal to make bricks using bacteria.

You’re probably familiar with the University of Waterloo’s world-renowned incubator, Velocity, but did you know that Velocity also leads student programming and resources on campus? Students exploring entrepreneurship can get support from Velocity at every step of their journey in turning an idea into an early-stage business.